A scenic drive, over the mountain and through the woods,

but not to grandmother's house. 

 Well, I they are grandparents,

 but not related to us in any way.

We'd promised to deliver 2 guitars to their new owners

this afternoon.  The way to get there was across 

Petit Jean Mountain.  

A pleasant drive most days, but

today

Just as we topped the mountain, and leveled off,

this is what happened.  

It downpoured all the way across the top, until just before we started down the back side

Here is the overlook, and as you can see, everything was wet and the clouds were beginning to break up.  I wanted to stop, but it was still sprinkling...Maybe on the way back...

I took some photos of some curvy roads, and some mini hills, that if you drive fast, you're tummy will drop, but some didn't turn out so great.

On the way back, it was sunny, and 
most of the road was dry

Here is the site of the old CC camp that was on the mountain. 

Daddy tore one of them down, for the lumber, when they were 

being removed, after the park became a state park.

Hoped for a better shot of the state park sign.

A short of the Arkansas river, as we come down 

on our side of the mountain.

And a shot of the another location, as we were heading 

this direction.

And then,

Some color in our yard.

Thank you for taking the tour with me,

I tried to get a shot of the old buggy, but

it didn't turn out so great.

Stop Thief!!!!!!!

Skylar and Stephen spent all day Friday and 

until about 12:30pm on Saturday with us.

Skylar brought a couple of her 

small dolls

 and a thief stole them.

Here is Bubba, discovering 

dollies

He's checking her out

trying to decide what he is going to do with her.

He know's he's been caught, 

Trying to hide dolly

until Skylar forgets

about it, and moves on.

She got my camera, and 

saved the evidence

of his doll playing.

What a Beauty

This morning

while dealing with 

tech support because

internet wasn't working, 

I look out the window, and this is what

I see on the other side of the screen.

 Underside of 

the butterfly, from inside the house.

And now

we go outside, 

and

here is the

other side of the butterfly 

It is a Lepidoptera.

Appalachian Serenade by Sarah Loudin Thomas

This is a Novella by Sarah Loudin Thomas that precedes her book, Miracle in a Dry Season.  It starts when Delilah moves from Chicago, to her sister's home in Wise, West Virginia after her husband dies.  She has no children, and really doesn't think her sister's husband wants her there. She is getting to know her young neice, Perla, and adjusting to the change, when her sister announces that they will be moving, because of her husband's job.  Delilah finds work at the local store, and loves working there, and really likes her boss, not realizing he is falling for her. 

Will she stay in Wise, or will she move with her sister and her family?
This is a surprisingly good Novella, and the price is right, you can download it free from Amazon.com.  Can't beat the price, and you'll also get the first few chapters of the book that follows, when Perla moves back to Wise, and stays with her aunt Delilah.  I sure hope I'm chosen to review the book, Miracle in a Dry Season, I can tell you that what I've read so far, is very good.

Happy Birthday, Skylar

This is my Granddaughter, Skylar, whose birthday was today.

This is her, and her best friend, Kirstyn, who spent the night, so she could go to 

Skylar's party.

No, this isn't her party, but the guy in this

photo was told

that he had to show up for a short while to attend

Skylar's party

he is our minister.

At about this time, he's seen 

this and realized it doesn't

look like a young lady's cake

at all, and  we haven't got any girls

in our church named Frank.

Frank's wife, and a co conspirator in the

deception.

And now for Skylar's real party

Have you ever gone to a painting party?

Well, Skylar's Aunt Robin is an 

Art Teacher, and a very good artist.

She hosts parties for small groups at a

very reasonable price,

And 

this was a 2 hour project,

with cupcakes and drinks for 

a snack, after they got their paintings done.

Left to right

Skylar's Aunt Julie, Kirstyn, Skylar, Shawn, and Hunter.

From their smiles, I think they had fun.

THE MITING by Dee Yoder

THE MITING 
an Old Order Amish Novel 
by
Dee Yoder
Published by Kregel Publications

If you are looking for a feel good Amish novel, where everyone is happy with their Amish community, you won't find it here.  This book is realistic in the fact that not everyone wants to live the plain life, even those that were born and raised in that faith.

Leah Raber is one of those that isn't quite sure she wants to live Amish for the rest of her life.  She has ideas that don't fit into the mold, and she doesn't want to get married, live under a husband's wishes, and have a children right away.  She starts reading the Bible, in her room at night, and finds that others don't live under the same beliefs that the Amish, especially in her district, where the bishop is very strict.  When her Bible is taken away from her, she has decisions to make, about what she wants in life.

I totally enjoyed this book, and feel it depicts life pretty much as it would be, with a lot of young people who were raised Amish.  

I asked Ms Yoder how many books she had written, this is her first Amish book, and I have to say she hit the ball out of the park.  
I hope she follows this up with another novel.  She has written many short stories.

I was given a copy of this book for an honest review.  No other compensation was given.  All opinions expressed here are my own, and I am not required to give a favorable review.

Yard sale finds

The local Catholic Church has a yard sale twice a year.

I always find something, if I get a chance to go, so I left hubby home, to answer the phone, and I drove over today.

Here are part of my finds.

Here was my first find, a plaque that

I just had to have.  My husband is an Air Force

Veteran, and proud of it.  He spent 4 years 

keeping planes flying during the Vietnam War.

Second find,

a new w/tags blouse, It took me 5 minutes to get it turned right, lol, and that was after 3 other ladies had given up.

Another new w/tags blouse, 

had to have it.

 And a cute jacket with front insert, so you don't need a blouse under it.  It is really pretty.  Didn't have tags

but it looks like it has never been worn, would love a matching skirt. But I did get a pair of black slacks that will go perfect with them. No photos of the slacks.

Another new w/tags

purple is the in color it seems.

I also got a short sleeve blouse, black and read with other colors, 

will work well with capris this summer.

And then there is a floral skirt, that will go well with several tops, 

if I ever get ambitious enough to shave my legs.

I spent a total of $6.00 on all of this.

and then, here is my Mother's Day gift from

my youngest daughter, Julie.

Spring update

Cardinal baby that jumped out of the nest.

this was 2 days ago.

Can you see me peeking through the leaves?

My south end going north, every time I tried to get a good shot, 

someone turned around

This is the 2 Mourning Dove

hatchlings, the nest is about to fall, so they were sitting on a limb.  One went back to the nest right after this

shot, that is how I got the other photo,

hoping nothing bothers them, I love the call of a Mourning Dove.

Haven't seen our Ring Necks yet this year.

Spring must have sprung

Baby Cardinals that have hatched in the past couple of days.

Mother in waiting, the Dove that has a nest in my maple tree, just outside our

yard fence.

The Phoebe nest on the porch, I didn't want her to nest there, as every time the dogs go in or out, she feels the need to move off the nest, but she didn't listen.

We also have another nest,

I'm not sure what the birds are just yet.

She watches me diligently

but hasn't vacated the nest when I am out there.  

I'm sure it won't be long before I figure it out.

so true

HANDS OF DARKNESS by Heather James

This is book 2 in the series, in book 1, Evelyn's young daughter is kidnapped and murdered.  Evelyn, a lawyer, gets disbarred when she kills a child molestor.

In Hands of Darkness, she gets a new job as a police consultant, working with a detective that had helped solve her daughter's case.

Someone is killing women, and he is  very violent in his attacks. 

Some aren't found for several days or weeks after he kills them.  

But when he accidentally lets one of his victims get away, and Evelyn finds that the woman is a friend and fellow lawyer, the case gets very personal.

If you like suspense, the kind that makes you stay awake to finish a book, you need to read this.

Heather James had done a magnificent job of setting the scene for an ending that will have you wanting more.

I'd give this book 5 stars just for the cover art alone.

I was given a copy of this book by Kregel Publications to read and review.  No other compensation was given.  All opinions expressed here are my own, I am not required to give a favorable review.

HOW TO CLEAN THE ICE MAKER

I'll rent him out.

Well, I did it

I've been thinking about getting a laptop for awhile.  I have found that many of the  publishers are only doing limited numbers of real books, most are now Ebooks, so if I want a certain book, I have to take it as ebooks.

Sitting in front of this computer for a long period of time isn't what I want to do, my legs stiffen up.

So on Wednesday, I started searching, and searching and searching.

I finally went to Dell Refurbished on Ebay and started bidding.

On Thursday afternoon, I won an auction, and

within a week, I'll be using my laptop.

I have had some flack, because I bought a vista instead of a windows 7,

but this is my computer, to do email, read, and whatever else I want to do, not to game on or run high energy programs.

It should serve me well for a long time.

I can also throw it in the car, and not have to worry about a $1,000.00

 computer getting stolen.

3 Childrens books by Callie Grant

Aren't the illustrations gorgous?

Every page is just as beautiful, 

and each is illustrated by a different person.

The dialog is simple, easy to understand, and targeted toward 

pre-scoolers.  

Jesus Saves Me

uses the story of Jesus as a shepard

and how we are his flock.

Close as a Breath

a little girl asks her father questions

as they gaze at the sky, and he explains that just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it isn't there. 

Little Seed: A Life

 A squirrel hides a seed in the ground, and

how life springs forth, when the conditions are right.

Published by Graham Blanchard Inc

all the books are heavy cardboard pages, should hold up to

little hands, as they bring them to you to read again and again.

I think these would make a beautiful baby shower gift, or a lovely addition to the children's nursery at church.

 I received copies of these books to read and review from Sheldon Interactive, no other compensation was given.  All opinions, and pictures posted here are my own.  I'm nrequired to give a favorable review.

The Quilted Heart Omnibus by Mona Hodgson

I love the Civil War Era in stories, so that brings a different prospective to this book.
All of these 3 stories could stand alone as a book, but all three combined in one book really was a pleasure to read, and follow what was happening.
Mona Hodgson's writing is a pleasure to read, looking forwart to more of her books.

All opinions expressed here are my own, no compensation, other than a free copy of the book was given for my review.  I'm not required to give a favorable review.

Can you see it?

Can you see it?

Do you know what it is?

and this is just outside the fence, and to the left

of the front door,

it the smaller 

of the Maples

Here is a better look, 

Yes, it is a nest,

can you guess what kind?

Doves, I'm not sure if it is the

Ringnecked Doves

or the
Mourning Doves.

I spotted them on the nest

 this morning as I was leaving

for water therapy.

I hope to watch the babies

hatch and grow, we'll see.

Here is a trip around the area close to us.

Our lane

about 3/4 mile from the house

And just as you pass our driveway, on to the south.

These are not far from us, about 4 miles.

Petit Jean Mountain, Couldn't get it all in one shot

These are just off the bank of the Arkansas River

A sand and gravel operation, the green in front, is farmland.

Signs of spring

Bush across the road.

Tulip tree with buds, it has yellow blooms

Red Maple

Planter where I planted the new

hollyhocks

Potty chair, lol, 

The root ball where the two trees uprooted and fell on the house, this will be

a new flower bed, we think.

And below, my dreams for summer this year.